14 Fall DIYs Using Finds From Your Backyard

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I think most fall junkies would agree that decorating is one of the best parts of the season, but, unfortunately, it can get really expensive really fast. A wreath here, a centerpiece there and you’ve racked up a quite a price tag for those fall feels. Enter: your backyard and your DIY skills.

Fall is all about embracing the beautiful outdoors, so it’s the perfect time to step outside and collect whatever your backyard offers. Whether it’s leaves, sticks, moss or acorns, we have the perfect project for you. Check out 14 of our favorite fall decor DIYs incorporating backyard finds.

If You Have Leaves:

Fresh Leaf Wreath

DIY: Colorful Fall Leaf Wreath

Learn how to turn those fallen leaves into a glorious wreath celebrating the arrival of Autumn.

Photo by: Photo by Melissa Caughey

Photo by Melissa Caughey

This festive wreath is quick and simple to make, and it requires very few supplies other than fresh fallen leaves.

Napkins, Coasters and Place Cards

Leaf Tapestry

Make a Leaf Tapestry

Decorate your mantle or your favorite wall this autumn with an all natural leaf tapestry. Gather up your favorite fall leaves and press them until they are fully dry. Use removable adhesive to attach your dried, pressed leaves to the wall in overlapping rows. You can create a solid geometric shape, or space your leaves out at the top or bottom to give the illusion that they are falling.

Can you say statement art on the cheap? Gather leaves, and press them until dry. Use removable adhesive to attach them to a wall or permanent adhesive to attach them to a canvas. Arrange them in overlapping rows, and space them out appropriately to create the illusion that they're falling.

Metallic Magnolia Garland

DIY Fall Magnolia Garland

With nature as your inspiration, create this pretty, slightly bohemian magnolia garland to soften up any outdoor living space.

Fall Harvest Centerpiece

Fall Harvest Centerpiece

If You Have Sticks, Stumps or Vines:

Natural Fall Mobile

Make a Leaf Mobile

Bring a bit of fall into your nursery, or any room that needs a touch of autumn hanging from the ceiling. Use your favorite fall colors to paint thick pieces of paper with washes of watercolor. Use lots of water and let the colors mix together. Once dry, cut leaf shapes out of the paper and poke a hole at one end. Find a beautiful branch and hang the leaves from it with varying lengths of thread. Hang your branch and let the leaves turn in the breeze.

Give your nursery some autumnal cheer with this adorable, DIY mobile. Cut out thick paper leaves and paint them with washes of watercolor. Find an adequately sized branch, and hang the leaves from it using thread.

Stick Pumpkin

An Upcycled Pumpkin

Create a beautiful piece of indoor or outdoor decor with a piece of plywood, a pile of sticks and some wood glue. Cut the plywood into a roughly pumpkin shape. Use wood glue to completely cover the plywood with rows of sticks. It's ok if the sticks hang over the edge of the wood a bit. Place weights on the sticks and let the glue dry for at least 24 hours. Trim the edges of the sticks and sand if necessary to create your refined pumpkin shape. Add a fabric leaf and display your pumpkin in your garden, beside your front door, or hang it on the living room wall.

Cut a pumpkin-shaped piece of plywood, and cover it with sticks using wood glue. Place weights on the sticks for 24 hours, and allow the glue to dry. Trim any outlying sticks, and hang or display your masterpiece wherever you please.

Tree Stump Vase

DIY Tree Stump Vase

This crafty, organic vase is a lovely way to take your floral arrangements to the next level.

If You Have Moss:

Mossy Wreath

If You Have Acorns or Pinecones:

Giant Decorative Acorns

Craft a Giant Acorn

Create your own giant acorns for extra large fall decorations this season. To create the body of your acorn you will need to find some wooden eggs shapes, or create your own with balloons and paper mache. Once you have the body you can decorate it by painting it, wrapping it with twine, or gilding it with gold leaf or glitter. Create your acorn cap by hot gluing natural elements around the top half of your acorn shape. We used acorn caps and layers of pinecone scales to create ours.

Wooden egg shapes create the bodies of these fun acorns. Gild or paint the wooden eggs for eye-catching acorns, or wrap them in twine for a more natural appearance. Create the giant acorn cap by hot gluing actual acorn caps or pinecone scales on the upper half of the shape.

Foraged Fall Findings Wreath

Fall Findings Wreath

It only took 5 items to make this simple fall wreath. Take a peek and see how you can make your own.

Photo by: Photo by Melissa Caughey

Photo by Melissa Caughey

Found acorns and pinecones make up this ultra-festive, easy-to-make wreath.